Jury sworn in trial of eight people accused of men’s car-crash murder

A jury has been sworn in the trial of eight people accused of murdering two men, who died in a crash on the A46.

Saqib Hussain and Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin, both 21, died in the collision on February 11 2022.

The victims, both from Banbury, Oxfordshire, were in a Skoda Fabia which left the road just before the Six Hills junction near Leicester at around 1.35am.

Facing trial after denying the men’s murders are Ansreen Bukhari, 45, and Mahek Bukhari, 23, both of George Eardley Close, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

The women appeared in the dock of Leicester Crown Court alongside co-accused; Natasha Akhtar, 22, of Alum Rock Road, Birmingham; Sanaf Gulammustafa, 22, of Littlemore Close, and Ameer Jamal, 27, of Catherine Street, both Leicester, who each deny two counts of murder.

Raees Jamal, 22, of Lingdale Close, Loughborough; Rekan Karwan, 28, of Tomlin Road, Leicester and Mohammed Patel, 20, of Braybrooke Road, Leicester, have also entered not guilty pleas to the same charges.

The three women and five men have also denied two counts of manslaughter.

A jury of five men and seven women were sworn in on Tuesday, but Mr Justice Saini told them the case would not open until Thursday.

Addressing jurors, the judge said: “The charges on this indictment concern allegations of murder and manslaughter.

“The alleged victims are two individuals you will come to know about and I will call them Saqib and Hashim.”

He added it was a serious case which would “require your attention”, adding the trial would last “about eight weeks”.

“There will be strong emotions in this case, and that happens in any case dealing with the death of a person,” said the judge.

“You have to approach this case in a dispassionate way.”

The case was adjourned, with the prosecution set to open the case on Thursday.